Mask of Thorn (2019)

All I can say it is a good day to bronze! It is not every day that you get a chance to be on the silver screen. Two years ago, I went to the premiere of Mask of Thorn at Horror on Sea and was struck with awe. I had the opportunity to partake in something terrible. It goes back a couple of years. I met Mj Dixon on one of the Facebook Groups I used to manage. This was when I developed an interest in his work. He was pretty much like me. To me, he was and still is an exceptional creator. However, there was a dissonance as I did not think my own work was as marvelous. He was developing a movie which was Cleaver. The horror movie was about the transformation of a man into a psychotic killer clown. Pretty cool, right? Well, I thought so too hence I fronted some money for it. The film was seriously well made with an awesome soundtrack and cast, and I’m so excited to have taken part in its creation even if my input was limited to financially supporting the project. As a composer, I was willing to lend a hand with the musical scores but Mj had that covered.

It was with terror that I arrived at Milton Keynes. I was not the best at talking to new people but, Mj and Anna were very welcoming; infact, strange enough, after an hour of conversation, it felt like I knew them my entire life. The truth is, the struggle of being an independent film maker is real. We do not have access to large sum of money, neither do we have the means to produce a Hollywood blockbuster. Personally speaking, I believe, a single episode from a low budget TV program has more budget than what most of us in the Indy film industry earn in a lifetime worth of work.

It is phenomenal to be engaged in the making of an independent film at this scale. Having so much to organize while working with a budget so tight it challenges comprehension, I could easily see how Mj was so far above my skill level. Although, I can admit he is far too modest sometimes and would never say that about himself! Mj is one of the most organized and dedicated individuals I have come across. He is incredibly devoted when it comes to making his movies and bringing forth his ideas. Anna is not just an outstanding supportive producer, she is also a fantastic friend.

Every single person I got to work with on the movie was astounding. Will Marshall had hilarious yet understated camouflaged comedic quips, or Eve whose passion was so tremendous that she would go without sleep for days just to prepare for her scenes. The work that each member of the production defensend was amazing, and I even made a wonderful friend in Atticus Machiavellian, one of the most brilliant and weird people I know. It goes without saying that I have very special feelings about everyone on the cast and crew. Special mention goes to Chloe; thank you for being such a trooper and an amazing colleague! Even though I never saw him on set, I also made good friends with Martin W. Payne who supported me a great deal during the hard times I was going through the past year.

I owe Bam a huge thank you for guiding me on some matters and helping me re-evaluate some aspects of my life. His approach to work was breathtaking, and when it came to my political views, he taught me to have a broader perspective. Out of everyone I have ever worked with, he is probably the most passionate person I have met who is keen on getting everything to be in order for an efficient production. Some of the things he did in the process of making the old school look like a hospital were just amazing. But then again, I believe that practically everyone working at Mycho is amazing.

I wouldn’t endorse a film which I thought was mediocre, but even If I did, Mask of Thorn is more so the story of a team that created a cinematic masterpiece that, to put it frankly, should not have existed given their resources. The quality is mind-blowing, the cast is superb, the music really tops it off! (One of my songs got in!) Hehe. Not only is this film incredible, but it should be watched by anyone and everyone involved in independent films, as well as those who truly understand and respect the value of struggle.

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